Jan 3, 2013

Brunei - Sea row tops Asean agenda under Brunei's chairmanship

A political solution to the ongoing territorial dispute in the South
China Sea is on top of Brunei's agenda as Asean chair, officials from the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said yesterday.

The country is keen to pursue a
code of conduct between claimants in the disputed waters, believed to hold rich
reserves of oil and gas.

China claims sovereignty over
nearly all of the resource-rich sea, which is home to vital shipping lanes, but
Asean's Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia all have overlapping
claims in the area.

During a press briefing in the
capital, officials from the ministry outlined Brunei's political and security
priorities as it takes the helm of Asean for the second time.

The long-stalled code is seen as
a way of reducing the potential for armed conflict over oil and gas
exploration, fishing and shipping rights in disputed areas.

Tensions between Asean and China
have escalated in the past two years with irritants between the economic giant
and its smaller regional neighbours Vietnam and the Philippines.

Manila has pushed for a code of
conduct based on a United Nations maritime law that would delineate the areas
belonging to each country, usually within 200 nautical miles of its shore,
dubbed an "exclusive economic zone".

Officials added that Brunei would
closely consult "major powers" and dialogue partners throughout its
chairmanship.

Another priority will be to carry
out activities of the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, a
consultative body established in 2009 to promote regional co-operation on human
rights.

One of Brunei's primary economic
objectives during its tenure will be to support negotiations for the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership — a free trade pact encompassing Asean,
Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

The Sultanate also aims to
promote inter-Asean trade and lower the cost of doing business in Southeast
Asia.

The 22nd Asean Leaders' Summit is
slated for April 24 to 25, while the 23rd Asean Summit and related meetings
will be held from October 9 to 10 in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

The Sultan of Brunei will also
chair a third meeting — the Asean-Japan Commemorative Summit — in Tokyo this
December.

As the Asean chair, Brunei is
likely to attend the G20 Summit at the invitation of host country Russia this
September.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade officials said an Asean-Brunei website would be launched in the second
week of January to facilitate press accreditation and disseminate information
about the meetings.

The first meeting of senior Asean
officials will be held in Temburong from January 9 to 10.

Quratul-ain Bandial

The Brunei Times

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